Total outlay of tax-free, provincial budget is Rs1, 970 billion, Opposition creates uproar during Punjab Assembly\u2018s budget session
\nNews Desk
\nLAHORE
\nThe Punjab government presented its budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 in the provincial assembly on Friday. Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous\u2019s budget speech was constantly marred by sloganeering from the opposition benches.
\nChief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif encouraged the provincial minister during her speech, by thumping the desk, while the government ministers shouted \u2018well done\u2019 in response to the commotion.
\nThe total outlay of the tax-free, provincial budget is Rs1, 970 billion.
\nGovernment employees were announced to receive an ad hoc relief of 10% of their basic salaries.
\nThe budget was presented in the assembly by Ayesha Ghous Pasha after its approval by the provincial cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
\nAn amount of Rs635 billion \u2014 around 40% of the total budget \u2014 has been earmarked for development projects.
\nMoreover, the Orange Line Metro Train project of Lahore will receive funds amounting to Rs96 billion, the ministere read in her speech.
\nFor health, education and social welfare Rs 201 billion would be allocated.
\nAPP adds: The highest priority has been given to the social sector with 32 per cent of the ADP allocations, while 27 per cent has been given for infrastructure development.
\nMore than Rs 201 billion has been allocated for the social sector with major focus on education (82.61 billion,13%), health (Rs 51.80 billion, 8%) and clean drinking water(Rs 52 billion, 8%), according to the budget documents.
\nAn amount of Rs 172,164 million has been allocated for infrastructure development including roads (Rs 90700 million), irrigation (Rs 41033 million), energy (Rs 9000 million), public buildings (Rs 15,000 million) and urban development (Rs 16,433 million).
\nPrioritising the agriculture sector, the Punjab government has earmarked Rs 15 billion under the Khadim-e-Punjab Kissan package this year to revive the sector as more than 40 per cent of Punjab\u2019s labour is engaged with this key sector.
\nThe Punjab government has earmarked a huge amount of Rs 88,350 million for special initiatives including Safe City Project (Rs 49,850 million), Special Development Package (Rs 21,000 million), Local Government Development (Rs 15,000million) and package for other provinces (Rs 2500 million).
\nHuman development will be paid special attention this year keeping in view the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
\nAlso special focus would be on the production sector, modern infrastructure, development, SMEs development, devising a comprehensive industrial policy and domestic commerce strategy for initiating a long-term engagement as joint ventures with Chinese companies.
\nAdequate funding will be provided for flagship programmes of the provincial government including Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme, dualisation of Khanewal-Lodhran Road and DG Khan-Muzafargarh Road, Punjab Police Integrated Command, Lahore Knowledge Park, Punjab Kidney Liver Institute and Saaf Paani projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Total outlay of tax-free, provincial budget is Rs1, 970 billion, Opposition creates uproar during Punjab Assembly\u2018s budget session News Desk LAHORE The Punjab government presented its budget for the fiscal year 2017-18 in the provincial assembly on Friday. Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous\u2019s budget speech was constantly marred by sloganeering from the opposition benches. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n